Mandevilla plant named ‘Alegnuflor704’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Mandevilla  plant named ‘Alegnuflor704’, characterized by its compact, upright and mounding plant habit; strong stems; early and freely flowering habit; and red-colored flowers.

Botanical designation: Mandevilla hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘ALEGNUFLOR704’.

CROSS-REFERENCED TO CLOSELY-RELATED APPLICATIONS

Title: Mandevilla Plant Named ‘ALEGNUFLOR702’

Applicant: Graham Noel Brown

Filed: U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 12/931,177.

Title: Mandevilla Plant Named ‘ALEGNUFLOR709’

Applicant: Graham Noel Brown

Filed: U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 12/931,164.

Title: Mandevilla Plant Named ‘ALEGNUFLOR711’

Applicant: Graham Noel Brown

Filed: U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 12/931,168.

Title: Mandevilla Plant Named ‘ALEGNUFLOR714’

Applicant: Graham Noel Brown

Filed: U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 12/931,176

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Mandevilla plant, botanically known as Mandevilla hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Alegnuflor704’.

The new Mandevilla plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Pennant Hills, New South Wales, Australia. The objective of the breeding program is to create new shrub-type Mandevilla plants with strong stems and numerous attractive flowers.

The new Mandevilla plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in Pennant Hills, New South Wales, Australia in December, 2003, of a proprietary selection of Mandevilla hybrida identified as code number X02.5, not patented, as the female, or seed parent with Mandevilla hybrida Sunmandecrim', disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,539, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Mandevilla plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Macquarie Fields, New South Wales, Australia in January, 2008.

Asexual reproduction of the new Mandevilla plant by cuttings in Macquarie Fields, New South Wales, Australia, since January, 2008, has shown that the unique features of this new Mandevilla plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Mandevilla have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in cultural practices and environment such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Alegnuflor704’. These characteristics in combination distinguish. ‘Alegnuflor704’ as a new and distinct Mandevilla plant:

-   -   1. Compact, upright and mounding plant habit.     -   2. Strong stems.     -   3. Early and freely flowering habit.     -   4. Red-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Mandevilla can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Mandevilla differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Mandevilla are more compact than and not as         vining as plants of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Mandevilla flower earlier than plants of         the female parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Mandevilla have smaller flowers than plants         of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Mandevilla can be compared to plants of the male parent, ‘Sunmandecrim’. Plants of the new Mandevilla differ from plants of ‘Sunmandecrim’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Mandevilla are more compact than and not as         vining as plants of ‘Sunmandecrim’.     -   2. Plants of the new Mandevilla and ‘Sunmandecrim’ differ in         flower color as plants of ‘Sunmandecrim’ have crimson         red-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Mandevilla can be compared to plants of Mandevilla hybrida ‘Alegnuflor702’, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 12/931,177; Mandevilla hybrida ‘Alegnuflor709’, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 12/931,164; Mandevilla hybrida ‘Alegnuflor711’, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 12/931,168; and Mandevilla hybrida ‘Alegnuflor714’, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 12/931,176. Plants of the new Mandevilla differ primarily from plants of ‘Alegnuflor702’, ‘Alegnuflor709’, ‘Alegnuflor711’, ‘Alegnuflor714’ in flower bud and flower color.

Plants of the new Mandevilla can be compared to plants of Mandevilla hybrida ‘Sunparavel’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,407. Plants of the new Mandevilla differ primarily from plants of ‘Sunparavel’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Mandevilla are more compact than plants of         ‘Sunparavel’.     -   2. Plants of the new Mandevilla have smaller leaves and flowers         than plants of ‘Sunparavel’.     -   3. Plants of the new Mandevilla and ‘Sunparavel’ differ in         flower color as plants of ‘ Sunparavel’ have dark red         purple-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Mandevilla plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the actual colors of the new Mandevilla plant. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Alegnuflor704’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in 12.5-cm containers during the spring and summer in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse in Cobbitty, New South Wales, Australia and under commercial production cultural practices. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 18° C. to 38° C. and night temperatures ranged from 5° C. to 21° C. Plants were 14 weeks old when the photograph and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Mandevilla hybrida ‘Alegnuflor704’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Mandevilla             hybrida identified as code number X02.5, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Mandevilla hybrida ‘Sunmandecrim’,             disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,539. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By cuttings.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About one month.         -   Root description.—Fleshy, thick; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderate branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Compact, upright and mounding plant             habit, slightly vining; moderately vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 30 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 33 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Branching habit: Moderate             branching habit with about four primary lateral branches per             plant; primary laterals with secondary laterals; pinching             enhances lateral branch development. Length: About 25 cm.             Diameter: About 5 mm. Internode length: About 4.5 cm.             Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to             144A. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.         -   Length.—About 7 cm.         -   Width.—About 4.5 cm.         -   Shape.—Broadly elliptical.         -   Apex.—Acuminate.         -   Base.—Obtuse.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous;             leathery.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate, arcuate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper and lower surfaces: Close to             146A. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A;             venation, close to 146A. Fully expanded leaves, lower             surface: Close to 146A; venation, close to 146A.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 1.8 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,             upper surface: Close to 146C. Color, lower surface: Close to             146A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and habit.—Salverform flowers arranged in loose             terminal and axillary clusters; flowers face upright or             outwardly; freely flowering habit, about five flowers and             flower buds per cluster.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants initiate flower buds about             six weeks after planting; plants flower continuously             year-round in the greenhouse and outdoors from spring to             early winter in New South Wales, Australia.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About three to four days;             flowers not persistent.         -   Fragrance.—Faint, pleasant.         -   Flowers.—Appearance: Funnelform with five-parted fused             corolla; flowers roughly star-shaped. Diameter: About 8 cm.             Depth (length): About 7 cm. Throat diameter: About 1.8 cm.             Tube length: About 4.5 cm. Tube diameter, at the base: About             1 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Height: About 8 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 cm.             Shape: Elongated oblong. Color: Close to 184A.         -   Corolla.—Arrangement/appearance: Single whorl of five             petals, imbricate and fused into a flared trumpet. Petal             lobe length: About 4 cm. Petal lobe width: About 2.5 cm.             Petal lobe shape: Roughly elliptical. Petal apex: Acute.             Petal margin: Entire. Petal texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Throat texture: Smooth,             glabrous; velvety. Tube texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color:             Petal lobe, when opening, upper surface: Close to 57A. Petal             lobe, when opening, lower surface: Close to 58B. Petal lobe,             fully opened, upper surface: Close to 53B. Petal lobe, fully             opened, lower surface: Close to 53A. Throat: Close to 52A.             Tube: Close to 145A.         -   Sepals.—Arrangement/appearance: Five per flower fused in a             single whorl. Length: About 7 mm. Width: About 2 mm. Shape:             Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, inner surface:             Close to 145C. Color, outer surface: Close to 145B.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 5 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Strength: Strong, flexible.             Aspect: About 45° from the stem axis. Color: Close to 144A.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 2 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture:             Smooth, glabrous. Strength: Strong, flexible. Aspect: About             20° to 35° from the peduncle axis. Color: Close to 144A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Typically             five. Filament length: About 1.5 mm. Filament color: Close             to 158C. Anther shape: Narrowly oblong. Anther size: About 8             mm by 2 mm. Anther color: Close to 158A. Pollen amount:             Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 155A. Pistils: Quantity per             flower: Typically one. Pistil length: About 2.7 cm. Stigma             shape: Rounded; five-lobed. Stigma color: Close to 145A.             Style length: About 2.2 cm. Style color: Close to 145C.             Ovary color: Close to 146C.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Mandevilla have not been     noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Mandevilla. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Mandevilla have been     observed to tolerate temperatures from about 5° C. to about 38° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Mandevilla plant named ‘Alegnuflor704’ as illustrated and described. 